An interesting find from the Bishops’ Bible (f.p. 1568) involves its liturgical calendar which lists daily not only lessons but also the names of saints.(fn. 11) For the 15th day of February, ‘Faustin bishop’ is listed as its saint.

Considering ‘Faustus’ means ‘Prosperous: fortunate: luckie’ and ‘Próspero’ means (per Livy) ‘To giue prosperitie: to make prosperous: to giue successe to’, certainly the two names are synonymous.(fn. 12) Could Shakespeare have wanted us to make such a connection?

Also, consider the courtship of Ferdinand and Miranda. Surely such action could occur on Valentine’s day. We should note that in the Bishops’ Bible ‘Ualentine bish.’ is listed for the 14th day of February.

Would it be possible then to date The Tempest using these two markers?

The scripture lessons from the BCP include Mark 14 for the 14th of February and Mark 15 for the 15th. Can anything be found in these two scriptures which matches The Tempest?

(a) Mark 14:1-2 (topical summary: ‘The Priests conspire against Christ’): ‘And two dayes after followed the feast of the Passeouer, and of vnleauened bread: and the hie Priests, and Scribes soght how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. 2. But they said, Not in the feast day, lest there by any tumult among the people.’

(b) Mark 14:15: ‘And he wil shewe you an vpper chamberwhich is large, trimmedand prepared: there make it readie for vs.’

Prospero. He is as disproportion’d in his mannersxxxxxAs in his shape. Go, sirrah, to my cell;xxxxxTake with you your companions. As you lookxxxxxTo have my pardon, trim it handsomely.
(V.i.291-4: emphasis added)

(c) Mark 14:41: ‘And he came the thirde time, and said vnto them, (n) Slepe hence forthe, and take your rest: it is ynough: the houre is come: beholde, the Sonne of man is deliuered into the hands of sinners.’ Marginal note (n): ‘He meaneth that the houre wil come when they shalbe kept from sleping.’

(e) Mark 14:72: ‘Then the seconde time the cocke crewe, and Peter remembred the worde that Iesus had said vnto him, Before the cocke crowe twise, thou shalt denie my thrise, & waying that with him self, he wept.’

Antonio. Which, of he or Adrian, for a good wager,xxxxxfirst begins to crow?Sebastian. The old cock.Antonio. The cock’rel.
(II.i.28-31: emphasis added)

(f) Mark 15:33: ‘Now when the sixt houre was come, darkenes arose ouer (l) all the land vntil the ninth houre.’ Note (l): ‘Because this darkenes was onely ouer the land of Chanaan, when the rest of the worlde was light, the miracle is the greater.’

Ariel. On the sixt hour, at which time, my lord,xxxxxYou said our work should cease.
(V.i.4-5: emphasis added)

Clearly, we find allusions to both Mark 14 and 15 in The Tempest. Considering Prospero’s ‘Do so; and after two days / I will discharge thee.’ (I.ii.298-9) and his statement the next day (fn. 14) ‘I’ll free thee / Within two days for this.’ (I.ii.421-2), we should add a third day to our February 14th and 15th.

D. Adding a Third Day

The scripture lessons from the BCP include Mark 13 for the 13th of February and Mark 16 for the 16th. Again, can anything be found in these two scriptures which matches The Tempest?

(11) Per ‘An admonition to the Reader’ found at the bottom of the page for January:

‘Where in this kalender be appoynted almost to all the dayes of euery moneth names of saintes (as they call them) this we haue done (gentle Reader) not for that we [-?-] them all for saintes, of whom we repute some not for good: or yet for that eyther (howe holy [-?-] they be) we iudge any deuine worship or honour to be referred to them: but rather that they shoulde be as notes and markes of some certayne matters, whose appoynted tymes to knowe, as it may do much good: so to be ignoraunt of the same, may do to men much hurt. And this is the reason for this [-?-] and purpose. Farewell.’